A video circulating on social media showed the zoo keeper opening the enclosure and tossing a rabbit near the python.

The snaked turned and lunged for the zookeeper, biting into his abdomen.

The moment of the bite

Shocked patrons visiting the zoo began screaming, while someone recorded the entire ordeal.

The zoo keeper has been taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital, having suffered major blood loss.

Shortly before the incident, a woman said “this was so disappointing” before the snake was fed and attacked the man. The snake snagged the man’s abdomen area.

The zookeeper reacted by grabbing the snake by its head and pulling it out of the enclosure.

Sources said that the man then fell to the ground while the snake attempted to wrap itself around him.

'Mustard' pictured here on the Emperor Zoo's Facebook page

Other keepers intervened and shortly after, the snake was returned to its enclosure by two others.

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The Burmese python is one of the five largest species of snakes in the world.

It is a non-venomous python and has a big appetite preferring to eat large birds or sized mammals and can grow to five metres on average. When feeding, the snakes recognises heat signature and a source said that this type of reaction is normal for such reptile.

It is not unusual for python’s to attack, however, it generally does so when provoked, or hungry.

The python has rearward-pointing teeth which can firmly hold onto it prey, then is can wrap its body around the large prey.

Officials at the zoo declined to comment on the incident or give a statement regarding the condition of the retile keeper Mustard attacked.